Alami and Botmeh

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, and if so from whom, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received representations about the possible miscarriage of justice in the cases of Alami and Botmeh (1996), in addition to the 21 representations to the Home Office mentioned in the Written Answer of 24 July by Lord Falconer of Thoroton (WA 96–97).

Baroness Amos: Since May 2001 we have received three representations about the possible miscarriage of justice in the case of Alami and Botmeh; one from Dr Nabil Sha'ath, the Palestinian Minister for Planning and International Cooperation, and two representations from Tony McNulty MP and Kevan Jones MP on behalf of their constituents.

Zimbabwe

Lord Watson of Richmond: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made in identifying, locating and freezing the assets of leading members of Mr Mugabe's regime.

Baroness Amos: The most recent EU Common Position on Zimbabwe sanctions (2002/145/CFSP) imposed an asset freeze on 79 members of Mugabe's regime. Twenty-eight accounts containing funds totalling £513,000 have been frozen in the UK and crown dependencies. We are continuing to work with UK financial institutions to identify and freeze more accounts and funds belonging to the targeted individuals.

Israel: Security Fence

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they intend to make to the Government of Israel concerning the potential loss of greenhouses, olive trees and citrus trees belonging mainly to Palestinians which would result from the erection by Israel of a long security fence.

Baroness Amos: Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has already raised our concerns about the location and likely impact of the security fence with the Government of Israel. While we fully understand Israel's need to take steps, within the law, to protect itself from terrorist attack, lasting security can only be achieved through a negotiated peace.
	We are particularly concerned that the construction of the 360km long fence will involve the seizure of more Palestinian land. As described in the Israeli media, it would run east of the Green Line for most of its length. Approximately 10 per cent of the entire West Bank will lie to the west, ie on the Israeli side of the fence. The northern and Jerusalem sections of the fence, approximately 215km long, will incorporate on the Israeli side approximately 7 per cent of the West Bank and 290,000 Palestinians, of whom 70,000 do not have Israeli residency cards and so will be under pressure to leave their homes. Construction of the fence has already led to the destruction of Palestinian farmland, and access to farmland lying to the west of the fence is in doubt. In this Government's view, the building of the fence and the displacement of the Palestinians is wrong. It harms the prospects for peace.
	Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Consulate General in Jerusalem are monitoring the situation closely. Officials have travelled to Palestinian areas affected by construction of the fence to talk to farmers and other villagers and to see for themselves its impact. We will continue to make our concerns known to the Israeli authorities.

Capita: Criminal Record Checks

Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What predictions were made, and by whom, of the number of criminal record checks in the contract with Capita; and over what periods.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The agency made forecast volumes of the expected number of criminal record checks available to all bidders during the tendering process. However, no volume forecasts are contained within the contract. These forecasts were based on work which had been undertaken by consultants for the Home Office prior to the establishment of the Criminal Records Bureau and the contract with Capita.

Criminal Justice System: Consultation

Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to publish the responses to the consultation exercise in the Criminal Justice White Paper.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Criminal Justice Bill was published on 21 November setting out radical legislation to re-balance the Criminal Justice System in favour of victims, witnesses and communities. The Bill was preceded by the White Paper Justice for All, and we are today publishing the responses received in relation to the consultation exercise. Justice for All invited comments on three specific issues: a trial by judge alone, trial of 16 and 17 year-olds in Crown Courts and new measures to tackle domestic violence.
	Two hundred and forty-two responses have been received by the Home Office, Lord Chancellor's Department and Crown Prosecution Service. The majority of these responses went wider than the three consultation issues and commented generally on the proposals contained in the White Paper. Copies will be placed in the Library.
	Of the 242 responses, 53 commented on the issue of trial by judge alone in long and complex cases other than serious fraud and in cases where there is a risk of jury interference.
	As previously stated, jury trial will continue to be the norm for the vast majority of serious cases. The Criminal Justice Bill safeguards this central principle of our justice system. What we are doing is recognising and seeking to deal with a small number of cases where there are clear difficulties in conducting a trial by jury. Our proposals deal with the very real problems of managing trials in certain fraud and other complex financial cases and in cases involving jury tampering and the risk of intimidation. Some fraud trials can last for months; police protection, which the court orders in cases where there is a serious risk of jury intimidation, can be extremely intrusive. Such trials can and do place an excessive and unreasonable burden on the members of the jury. Our proposals, which are based on the recommendations of Sir Robin Auld, address these problems by giving the judge the discretion to order a trial to take place without a jury. After careful consideration we have decided to legislate to give them effect in the Criminal Justice Bill.
	Seventy-nine of the respondents commented on the strengthened youth courts proposals. The majority of these favoured the government option to allow the Crown Court the discretion to try 16 to 17 year-olds in the Crown Court. There was a strong opposition in principle to the removal of trial by jury for juveniles and strong support for the creation of a specialised youth court and for the training of magistrates, judges, defence lawyers, prosecutors and other staff. The Government are now considering how best to take this forward.
	Ninety-one of the responses commented on the domestic violence proposals but not all of the 91 commented on all of the proposals. For each proposal the majority who gave a view were in favour. The proposals were: reviews following domestic violence murders, extending the use of restraining order, making breach of non-molestation order a criminal offence, anonymity for victims of domestic violence and improved liaison between the civil and criminal courts.
	The Government intend to publish a consultation paper on domestic violence by spring 2003 which will build on the initial consultation in the Criminal Justice White Paper.
	Alongside the main consultation exercise outlined in the White Paper, we consulted with the legal profession on possible legislation to require the defence to disclose, in advance of trial, unused expert witness reports and lists of witnesses that they propose to call to give evidence. The consultation ran from 15 August until 16 September.
	Twenty-five responses were received. Of these, five favoured the Government's proposal on the disclosure of unused expert reports, 15 were against and the others made no comment or were undecided. On disclosure of defence witness lists, nine were in favour, 10 were against and the others made no comment or were undecided.
	As a result, the Government have modified our proposals. We now plan to require the defence to disclose only the names of experts who have been consulted and not the content of their report. The defence will also be required to disclose witness lists as proposed.

Courts Administration

Baroness Nicol: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are yet in a position to make a statement about the proposed unified administration of the courts.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Courts Bill, which was introduced in this House last Thursday, includes provisions to enable the Government to fulfil the commitment made in the White Paper Justice for All to establish an executive agency with responsibility for the administration of all the courts in England and Wales, except the House of Lords.
	I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses a statement about the principles which will form the basis of the agency's Framework Document.

Local Tax Default: Committal to Prison

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In how many cases people have been committed to prison by magistrates' courts for local tax default since the poll tax was introduced; and how many such committals were subsequently declared unlawful by the High Court.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Figures relating to the number of people committed to prison for non-payment of the community charge, council tax, are listed below. Information concerning the number of those committals subsequently declared unlawful by the High Court is not collected centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Year Committals to prison 
			 1992 518 
			 1993 1,538 
			 1994 1,453 
			 1995 884 
			 1996 533 
			 1997 410 
			 1998 252 
			 1999 137 
			 2000 49 
			 2001 40 
		
	
	NB. Information in this detail is not collected prior to 1992.

Euro-Mediterranean Area

Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What more the United Kingdom and the European Union can do to promote the free trade area among the European Union's 12 partner countries bordering the Mediterranean; and whether they support political, social and economic reforms in the area, in conjunction with the removal of barriers in the agricultural and service sectors and the introduction of greater flexibility on rules of origin in the textile and clothing industries.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The United Kingdom and European Union are actively promoting the Euro-Mediterranean Area through a series of initiatives which are complementary to the tariff dismantling and related arrangements covered by the EU's agreements with the Mediterranean partners. In particular, this Government firmly support greater flexibility in rules of origin by extending the system of pan-European cumulation to the Mediterranean area for textile, clothing and other processed products; and co-operation and exchange of information on trade in service. The UK will continue to press for further agricultural liberalisation benefiting the Mediterranean partners through the current WTO round of multilateral trade negotiations. The UK and EU have also underlined to Mediterranean partners the importance of liberalising trade among themselves, as well as making further structural and legislative reforms, as key actions in deepening the Euro-Mediterranean free trade area. These activities are supported by the MEDA programme, to which the UK is a major contributor.

Community Development Venture Fund

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will match their plans for a Community Development Venture Fund in urban areas with a similar fund in rural areas.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Community Development Venture Fund (the Bridges Fund) is targeted at viable businesses with growth potential which are located within the 25 per cent most deprived wards in England, as measured by the index of multiple deprivation. This includes wards in rural areas.

Solar Water Heating

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have plans to extend their subsidy of central heating for domestic users to solar water heating.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Currently the Government assist solar water through a reduced VAT rate of 5 per cent for professionally installed systems.
	There are various local government initiatives to encourage solar water heating deployment, including schemes to provide grants and to publicise the benefits of solar water heating. These schemes are funded predominantly through the Energy Saving Trust's innovation programme. The Government are likely further to encourage the development of solar water heating through the forthcoming community and household capital grants scheme for renewable energy. The scheme will disburse grants to individual homeowners and community groups who wish to install renewable energy systems such as solar water heating. The scheme will run concurrent with an installer accreditation and training programme to expand the current installer base. The scheme is likely to be launched in the new year. In addition to this scheme, several electricity suppliers have been encouraged to offer grants as part of the energy efficiency commitment.

End-of-Life Vehicles Directive

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	By what date under the terms of the European Union End-of-Life Vehicles Directive was the United Kingdom to have the directive transposed into British law; and when will this take place.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The End-of-Life Vehicles Directive was due to be brought into force by 21 April 2002. Along with all other member states, the UK missed that deadline. Our intention is to publish draft regulations for consultation early in 2003 and to transpose into law later in the year.

End-of-Life Vehicles Directive

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	From what date car owners will be required to pay the increased cost of treatment required by the European Union End-of-Life Vehicles Directive when disposing of old vehicles; and what is their estimate of the charges likely to be required.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Last owners of end-of-life vehicles will pay the costs of treatment between the coming into force of the regulations to implement the Directive and 2007. Draft regulations relating to authorised treatment facilities will be published early in 2003 and are expected to come into effect later in the year. Depollution and dismantling costs will be variable and will depend on a number of factors, including the marque, model and condition of the vehicle being treated. Having consulted widely with industry, we estimate that the additional treatment costs required by the directive might average between £40 and £50 per vehicle.

End-of-Life Vehicles Directive

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	From what date all vehicle dismantlers have to provide a certificate of destruction to certify that the cars they treat are disposed of in a manner that complies with the European Union End-of-Life Vehicles Directive.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Draft regulations introducing the certificate of destruction system required under the directive will be published for consultation early in 2003, and are expected to come into effect later in the year.

Local Tax Default: Committal to Prison

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have had concerning the penalty of committal to prison in default of payment of community charge, council tax and other local taxes; and whether they have any plans to amend the law to abolish the penalty.

Lord Rooker: On 22 August, the Zacchaeus Trust responded to our consultation on the draft Local Government Bill expressing its disappointment that the Bill does not contain provisions to abolish committal for non payment of local taxes.
	The trust also responded to the Green Paper Towards Effective Enforcement and attended an open meeting of an Advisory Group on Enforcement Service Delivery in November 2001. The Lord Chancellor's Department has also received copies of the following reports: Debt, Poverty Traps, Eviction, Imprisonment & a Chasm—The Zacchaeus 2000 Trust—March 2002; Enforcing Debt—Understanding Distress—Church Action on Poverty—May 2002.
	The Government have no plans to abolish committal for the wilful non-payment of local taxes, which serves to encourage payment of both council tax and non-domestic rates.
	Committal is very much the last resort. Before seeking committal warrants, local authorities must first have tried other enforcement measures. Even where an application for committal to prison has been made, the courts cannot hand down prison sentences without a thorough examination in the presence of the debtor of the reasons for failure to pay. Magistrates can only order a sentence if they find that non-payment was due to wilful refusal or culpable neglect on the part of the debtor. Indeed, magistrates have the power to remit all or part of a debt if they consider this is justified, for example, on grounds of severe financial hardship.

Starter Home Initiative

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether their starter home initiative for key workers extends to rural areas; and, if so, to which ones.

Lord Rooker: The starter home initiative aims to help key workers into home ownership in both urban and rural areas where the high cost of housing is undermining recruitment and retention. Funding was allocated in September 2001 and May 2002 to schemes which estimate they may assist over 400 key workers into home ownership in rural areas in the south east, eastern and south west regions. Information will be collated on the number of key workers who are assisted through the initiative to purchase homes in local authority areas containing rural settlements.

Disabled Children

Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What percentage of disabled children currently living at home could be classified as children living in poverty.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Tackling child proverty is a complex and multi-dimensional issue. It is not just about income; it is also about extra investment in healthcare and education services and improvements in the system for children and teenagers who are vulnerable or disabled.
	The Government increased the disabled child premium in income-related benefits by £7.40 more than the normal uprating in April 2001, and again in April 2002 by another £5 more than inflation, to £35.50 a week. This is benefiting the families of around 80,000 children with disabilities.
	For a multi-dimensional analysis of the term poverty, I refer the noble Baroness to Opportunity for All—Fourth Annual Report (CM 5598).
	Further statistical information on disabled children living in households below average income can be found in Households Below Average Income 1994–95—2000–01 (thirteenth edition).
	Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

State Pension Uprating for British Subjects Resident in former Yugoslavia

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hollis of Heigham on 25 November (WA 25–26), whether there is any logical principle capable of distinguishing between the agreement on pensions reached with the former Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia in 1958 and that reached with Canada in 1960.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The 1958 reciprocal social security agreement between the UK and the former People's Republic of Yugoslavia provided for each country's retirement and widow's pensions to be paid in the other without restriction. At the time the social security arrangement between the UK and Canada came into force, on 1 January 1960, Canadian Old Age Security Pension was not payable to former Canadian residents living outside that country. There was, therefore, no scope for reciprocity on the payment of pensions to persons moving between Canada and the UK at that time.

Transfusion-related Acute Lung Injury

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the risk of transfusion-related acute lung injury from blood transfusion has been given a lower priority to date than the theoretical risk from vCJD; and why no action to protect patients against the risk of transfusion-related acute lung injury has been taken.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The risk of transfusion-related lung injury (TRALI) is being looked at by the National Blood Service (NBS) as a high priority. Consideration is now being given to sourcing United States fresh frozen plasma for neonates and children born after 1 January 1996 from male donors who are at a much lower risk of having the antibodies responsible for many cases of TRALI. The NBS has further safety measures planned, which include reviewing the processing methods for donation to try to remove more plasma from red cell units for transfusion. The NBS is also conducting an option appraisal of means to minimise the risk of TRALI.

Passive Smoking

Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their definition of a tobacco-smoke-free workplace, given that passive or involuntary smoke inhalation can trigger asthma attacks, and
	Whether they have any plans to introduce a public awareness campaign on the dangers of passive smoking; and
	When people with asthma can expect to be protected from passive smoking at work; and
	Whether they have any plans to require tobacco manufacturers to provide additional health warnings on cigarette packets about the dangers of passive smoking, including asthma.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A smoke-free workplace is a workplace where smoking is not permitted. We encourage all employers to introduce smoke-free workplaces. We recognise that this is not always going to be possible and encourage in these circumstances other measures to be taken to reduce people's exposure to smoke.
	This year the Department of Health is funding local tobacco control alliances across England to carry out projects in close co-operation with local employers to tackle passive smoking and to increase the number of smoke-free environments. These projects vary in nature from the production of smoke-free guides to pubs and restaurants to the provision of advice and support to managers wishing to introduce policies. We hope that many will be suitable for national application.
	The Secretary of State for Health will make and lay before Parliament shortly regulations to transpose into UK law the EU Directive on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products. These regulations will require tobacco products to carry larger and starker health warnings on both the front and back of the packet. A list of warnings to be displayed on cigarette packets has been agreed at Community level and the warnings will be rotated regularly from a list of approved warnings. The dangers of passive smoking are highlighted in the new warnings, which include "Smoking seriously harms you and others around you" and "Protect children: don't make them breathe your smoke". Article 11 of the directive requires the European Commission to produce a report on the application of this directive by no later than 31 December 2004. The Government consider that the wording of health warnings may be reviewed in the context of this report.

Human Fertilisation and Embroyology Authority

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they plan to commission an independent review of the work of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in the light of, among other things, the report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee earlier this year and the disclosures in the Sunday Telegraph on 10 November by embryologist Dr Sammy Lee.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: There are no plans at present to commission an independent review of the work of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). However, the Government believe it is essential that the HFEA is a strong and effective regulator and recognise that the authority faces an increasingly difficult task as greater numbers of people undergo fertility treatment and the available technology develops rapidly. The safety of patients and quality assurance of the treatment they receive must not be compromised by these challenges.
	The Government have therefore announced, in their response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee report Developments in Human Genetics and Embryology published on Monday 25 November 2002, that they are supporting the authority to introduce a range of measures that will bolster the authority's regulatory procedures. These will provide greater quality assurance for patients undergoing fertility treatment. In order to introduce these measures, the authority's annual funding will increase from just over £2 million to £5.5 million.

Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 7 November (WA 144) for exactly how long the Department of Health has known about dangers inherent in in vitro fertilisation and other assisted reproductive technologies.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As with all medical procedures, in vitro fertilisation and other assisted reproductive technologies have never been completely without risk. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) works with clinics to ensure that all known risks are minimised and patients made aware of any potential risks involved in the procedures they are undergoing before they give their informed consent to treatment. The HFEA also monitors developments in the field of human reproduction, including research to follow up children born through these technologies, in order to identify any new risks as they emerge.
	In April 2002, the HFEA and the Medical Research Council considered the issue of the possible health effects of IVF. As a result of this they established a working group to review current knowledge of in vitro fertilisation and its possible health effects. The group will advise on what further research may be necessary and how this might best be carried out. It is expected to report in 2003.

Tourism Related Industries: Employment

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the total employment figures in the first quarter of 2001 and the first quarter of 2002 in tourism related industries in (a) England and (b) Great Britain.

Baroness Blackstone: Total employment in tourism related industries in the first quarter of 2001 and the first quarter of 2002 for (a) England and (b) Great Britain are shown in the following table.
	
		Total employment(1) in tourism-related industries(2)
		
			  England Great Britain 
			 March 2001 1,770,000 2,068,000 
			 March 2002 1,772,000 2,056,000 
		
	
	(1) Includes employee jobs and self-employment jobs.
	(2) defined to be the following standard industrial classification groups: 55.1, 55.2, 55.3, 55.4, 63.3, 92.5, 92.6, 92.7.

Licensing Authorities

Baroness Buscombe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will list the number of members of each local authority in England and Wales falling within the definition of a licensing authority in Clause 3(1) of the Licensing Bill, indicating in each case how many members of the authority are members of an executive established under Part II of the Local Government Act 2000.

Baroness Blackstone: The information sought is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Radio Ownership Scheme

Lord Rea: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to deposit a draft order setting out arrangements for the new radio ownership scheme.

Baroness Blackstone: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has today deposited a copy of the draft order and accompanying Explanatory Memorandum in the Libraries of both Houses. Copies have also been sent to the Radio Authority, the Independent Television Commission (ITC) and the Commercial Radio Companies Association. We welcome comments from anyone with an interest.

Contaminated Land Remediation: Tax Relief

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the tax credits that are available for clearing contaminated land extend to rural areas.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Tax relief for expenditure incurred on the remediation of contaminated land is available nationwide. The legislation in the Finance Act 2001 contains a number of tests to ensure that relief is properly targeted and, provided that these tests are satisfied, relief will be available irrespective of where the site is situated.

Property in Disadvantaged Areas:  Stamp Duty Relief

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the cut in stamp duty for property in disadvantaged areas includes any rural districts.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The qualifying areas for the purposes of the relief from stamp duty in disadvantaged areas in the UK were identified solely by reference to each county's most recent national index of deprivation. Each county compiled its index on the basis of similar criteria such as income, employment, housing, health and child poverty. Using those criteria, both urban and rural areas appear in the list of the most deprived areas.

Public Service Agreement Targets

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the report in The Times on 18 November, whether they will reschedule public service agreement targets which have not yet been met, have not yet been assessed or have experienced slippage; and, if so, when the new target times will be made public.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government set out the new public service agreement targets in 2002 Spending Review: Public Service Agreements 2003–2006 (Cm 5571). These targets will be reviewed as part of the next spending review.